Batman’s history is filled with time-traveling escapades and encounters with mystic destiny. A recent comic book reveal unveils a mind-bending paradox: Bruce Wayne’s interference in the distant past inadvertently triggered his very existence in the present. This discovery highlights the intricate relationship between destiny and choice, proving that Batman’s creation is more than just a tragic accident.
In recent issues of Detective Comics, Gotham faces a new threat: the Orghams, villains with deep roots in the city’s past. Back in 1776, the Orghams introduced a “reality engine” to Gathome, the early version of Gotham, aiming to control its future. This device set a repeating pattern, ensuring Gotham would forever be plagued by fear, thus guaranteeing the Orghams’ control over essential industries. Gael of the Orghams explained that they were “setting the patterns of Gathome’s underlying destiny to be retreaded ad infinitum for all time.” This explains Gotham’s history of crime and costumed criminals. Gathome in 1776 even had counterparts to Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and Scarecrow, integrating these archetypes into Gotham’s repeating cycle. However, the Orghams didn’t anticipate the emergence of another archetype: a Dark Knight.
Detective Comics 2022 Annual #1 reveals that Batman’s creation is a time paradox resulting from Bruce Wayne’s own time travel. The Orghams’ initial act in 1776 was the murder of the Wainwrights, Tim and Moira, who were analogous to Bruce’s parents. Their orphaned son was saved by Aldridge Pierce, a drifter convinced by a mysterious driver named Mortdecai to defend Gathome against the Orghams. Pierce, by donning a mask and cowl similar to Batman’s, unintentionally integrated the “Dark Knight” archetype into the Orghams’ pattern, disrupting their plans and cementing Batman’s place in Gotham’s history. Here’s the twist: “Mortdecai” is actually Bruce Wayne himself. In Grant Morrison and Frazer Irving’s Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #2, an amnesiac, time-traveling Batman arrives in the late 1700s and assumes the identity of Mortdecai. By guiding Aldridge Pierce in the Detective Comics Annual, Bruce inadvertently creates himself, ensuring a Dark Knight will always exist in Gotham.
Batman Created Himself Through Time
This annual also echoes themes from Peter Milligan and Kieron Dwyer’s Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City, where the demon Barbatos claims to be the embodiment of Gotham City, suggesting it played a role in Batman’s creation through his parents’ deaths. The Detective Annual implies the Waynes’ deaths were caused by Gotham’s repeating history. The return of Barbatos in the same Detective series suggests this connection will be explored further. The Poison Ivy analogue, Aiyanna, has called on Barbatos to protect the city, raising the possibility that both Barbatos and the Orgham curse influence Gotham.
The revelation of Batman’s time paradox allows Ram V to explore both fate and free will. Batman was created by a mystical repeating history, but his decision to become Batman remains his own choice, as he initiated this aspect of the repeating history. The question now is how these cycles will play out in the present with the Orghams’ return and whether Batman’s past meddling will uncover more secrets about Gotham and himself.
More: Batman’s Creators Acknowledged His First Appearance Borrowed Heavily From Another Character
Detective Comics 2022 Annual #1 is available now from DC Comics.
